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Kami is Now SOPIPA Compliant and How This Affects You

SOPIPA is a California law regulating student privacy, which has been praised by President Obama and has inspired similar laws in many states, including Georgia, Delaware, Arkansas, Maryland, Oregon, and New Hampshire. It appears that laws like SOPIPA are the future of student data and privacy protection, so it is important to understand the specifics of these bills. The law prohibits operators from sharing student data and using that data for targeted advertising on students for a non-educational purpose.

Student privacy laws are not new, but SOPIPA is innovative because it puts the burden of protection of student privacy on the companies that handle the data. The purpose of SOPIPA is to allow the education space to be safer for students and focus purely on learning.

SOPIPA “prohibits an operator of an Internet Web site or online service from knowingly using, disclosing, compiling, or allowing a 3rd party to use, disclose, or compile the personal information of a minor for the purpose of marketing or advertising specified types of products or services”. This applies if you use any third-party vendors to collect information from students on your website or mobile app.

How does SOPIPA affect me?

SOPIPA prohibits EdTech companies that target K-12 schools from using student data for the following purposes: selling student data, using student data for targeted ads, and using student data to create advertising profiles.

SOPIPA also requires EdTech companies to take student privacy protection seriously, specifically requiring deletion of student information if requested by the school or district and use of robust security measures to ensure student data is safe.

SOPIPA also requires operators to delete a student’s information at the request of the school or district.

Is Kami SOPIPA compliant?

At Kami we take student privacy seriously, and have made sure the Kami Teacher Plan and the Kami Schools Plan are SOPIPA, FERPA, and COPPA compliant.